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America’s sandwich generation caregivers—adults simultaneously caring for children and aging loved ones—are nothing new. What is novel is the context in which this caregiving is being delivered and the sheer volume of Americans taking on this role, experts say. Without stronger support from employers, they predict, both employees and organizations are going to suffer in the coming years.
According to Pew Research Center, about 54% of Americans in their 40s—prime working age—have a dependent child and a living parent over the age of 65. AARP puts the total number of American caregivers at about 53 million—a figure that has grown by more than 20% in the last five years.
That sandwich generation is about to get a lot bigger, and employers aren’t prepared, says Seth Sternberg, CEO of Honor, the operator of the world’s largest in-home care network.
‘Massive societal shift’ on the way
By 2034, Sternberg says, the share of Americans over age 65 will top the under-18 population. And in the next 25 years, the over-80 population is expected to nearly triple.
“There’s going to be a huge boom in the number of older adults who need care,” Sternberg says. “There’s a massive societal shift we’re undergoing that
